Progress behind Closed Door

Negotiations continue behind closed doors, as developing countries express their frustrations about the state of negotiations. African delegates staged a several-hour boycott to push developed nations to ensure an extension of the Kyoto Protocol. As the Los Angeles Times‘ Jim Tankersley writes, the public conflicts are “one big optical illusion,” as “a few key negotiators have quietly and steadily hammered away at the obstacles to a deal.” Slow progress is being made on issues from reducing deforestation to shared commitments by major emitters, awaiting a final push by world leaders. In the Fossil of the Day ceremony, climate organizations criticized the United States and the European Union for their failure to commit to strong action and close loopholes.

Acid Oceans

“You cannot cut a deal with Mother Nature,” Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said today, as the first head of state to arrive in Copenhagen, his small island nation in threat from the rising, warming, and acidifying seas.

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Yvo De Boer and the leaders of Copenhagen Climate Change Conference are engaged in “the good fight” at the last, best opportunity for human civilization to save the planet for the children and coming generation as a fit place for human habitation. Years ago I was told that my generation had a duty to leave the world a better place than what is was when it was given to us by our forefathers and foremothers. It goes without saying that my not-so-great generation of greed-mongering elders will fall woefully short of discharging its responsibilities. Come what may for the children. Too many arrogant and selfish leaders in a single generation have recklessly chosen to fight wrongful wars for wrongheaded reasons, at a cost of blood and treasure that is as astounding in its stupidity as it is incalculable to measure.